Rebirth 93: Break off the engagement at the beginning and marry Bai Fumei

Chen Guohua pushed open the slightly ajar door and staggered in. He squinted, scanning the room, and saw Zhu Zi, Qin Haofeng, and Lao Shan sitting around Chen Yang, chatting animatedly. Chen Guohua couldn't help but grin, raising a hand to point at Qin Haofeng and Zhu Zi, mumbling, "You two rascals, why aren't you home yet?" With that, he slumped onto the sofa, muttering, "Uncle, I just... just finished drinking with your two dads, and I came back... I'm late..."

Seeing Chen Guohua's state, Chen Yang and the others knew he must have drunk too much again. Chen Yang's mother sat nearby, watching TV and eating sunflower seeds. Hearing the noise, she turned her head and saw Chen Guohua slumped drunkenly on the sofa. She frowned, threw her sunflower seeds back into the plate, and said irritably, "How much did you drink with Lao Qin and the others? Look at you, really, what's wrong with you again!"

As she spoke, Chen Yang's mother prepared to get up to pour Chen Guohua a glass of water. Chen Yang, Zhu Zi, Qin Haofeng, and Lao Shan exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised to see Chen Guohua so drunk. They all knew perfectly well the relationship between their three families. If Chen Guohua had drunk like this with someone else, they could understand, but today he was drinking with Qin Haofeng and Zhu Zi's father—their three brothers—which puzzled them.

"Uncle, why...why did you drink so much?" Zhu Zi asked, looking at the drunken Chen Guohua.

Chen Guohua grinned, gave a silly laugh, and waved one hand wildly in the air: "You kid... the three of us brothers... hiccup... it's been so long since we got together for a drink... today... today we're happy! We had a few extra drinks..."

As Chen Guohua spoke, he rolled over on the sofa again, grinning foolishly at Qin Haofeng and Zhu Zi, and said, "When...when your two dads get to the electronics factory...the three of us brothers can...be together every day again...then...we'll...conquer the world together...hiccup..."

"The three of us brothers working together... are invincible..."

Chen Yang, Qin Haofeng, and Zhu Zi exchanged bewildered glances. They were childhood friends, intimately familiar with each other's family situations. Chen Guohua was also a longtime friend of Qin Haofeng and Zhu Zi's fathers; the three were as close as brothers, and getting together for drinks was perfectly normal. However, it was rare to see them so drunk, especially Chen Guohua, who usually had a good tolerance for alcohol. What had happened to him today?

Chen Yang's mother slammed the water glass down on the coffee table with a loud "bang," her tone tinged with dissatisfaction and worry: "Invincible under heaven, I bet those two are getting scolded at home right now! Can't they drink less?" As she spoke, she looked at her husband, who was lying unconscious on the sofa, with concern, and reached out to wipe the sweat from his forehead, but he brushed her hand away.

"You don't understand!" Chen Guohua mumbled drunkenly, raising his hand and waving it wildly, hitting Chen Yang's mother right in the face. Chen Yang's mother immediately flew into a rage, slapped his shoulder hard, and pushed him down onto the sofa. Chen Guohua slurred and said irritably, "Women like you don't understand anything."

"Let me tell you, a thousand soldiers are easy to buy, but a general... hiccup!" He let out a loud burp, and a strong smell of alcohol hit him, making Chen Yang's mother cover her nose with her hand. Chen Guohua continued waving his hand, "A general is hard to find!"

Chen Guohua chuckled, held up two fingers, waved them in front of his wife, and said proudly, "Sales Section Chief Qin, Transportation Section Chief Zhao, I have two! Two! Haha!"

"Oh my!" Chen Yang's mother rolled her eyes when she saw his drunken state and said irritably, "This electronics factory hasn't even replaced the gate yet, and they're already recruiting!"

"Hehe," Chen Guohua waved his hand, pointed at Chen Yang's mother, and said drunkenly, "I told you the old woman doesn't know anything, right? What's this? When the electronics factory opens, we'll recruit from the public, and we'll all... hiccup... recruit new people. Anyone who doesn't get along with me, Old Chen, will not be hired!"

As he spoke, he pointed to his front door and mumbled, "Those who kick down the door, their family members will not be used! Absolutely not!"

"I have to let them know that the Electronics Bureau and the Electronics Factory belong to the Chen family, the Chen of the East!" Chen Guohua suddenly perked up, sat up abruptly on the sofa, pointed at Chen Yang's mother, and shouted, "You are my... Ugh! Ugh!" Before he could finish speaking, his stomach churned, and he couldn't help but bend over, looking like he was about to vomit at any moment.

"Oh my god!" Upon seeing this, Chen Yang's mother forgot her anger and quickly got up to help him. While patting his throbbing back, she complained, "What's wrong? Are you throwing up just because you see me?"

Chen Yang watched as his mother helped his father to the bathroom. He then turned to Qin Haofeng and Zhu Zi and said, "Alright, you two go back too. See how Uncle Zhao and Uncle Qin are doing. I reckon they'll be the same."

Qin Haofeng and Zhu Zi realized they had drunk a bit too much that day, so they got up to say goodbye. Lao Shan also said goodbye to Chen Yang and left the Chen family.

After everyone left, Chen Guohua, supported by his wife, slowly walked out of the bathroom. Chen Yang turned his head and was stunned. His father's complexion had returned to normal, and he was no longer unsteady on his feet. There was no trace of drunkenness in him.

"Those two lads left?" Chen Guohua asked with a smile, as if he wasn't the drunkard from just now.

Chen Yang nodded, then asked doubtfully, "Dad, did you have too much or not?"

Chen Guohua's lips curled into a meaningful smile: "You don't understand. Go learn, it's all work!" With that, Chen Guohua turned and went upstairs. Chen Yang's mother came out of the bathroom, saw her husband's smug expression, couldn't help but roll her eyes at his retreating figure, and muttered under her breath, "You old geezer!"

"Mom, what does Dad mean? I don't understand at all," Chen Yang asked his mother, looking confused.

"He drank so much nonsense!" Chen Yang's mother laughed and scolded, "He's doing this to show Zhu Zi and Tang Dou!"

"what?"

"Stop 'ah'ing, go back to your room and go to sleep!" Chen Yang's mother said, turning off the living room light and going upstairs. Chen Yang watched his mother's retreating figure, smiled helplessly, then turned off the TV and went back to his room.

Lao Shan walked along the bustling street, head down. As dusk settled, the shop signs on both sides of the street shimmered with light, making the city of Jiangcheng exceptionally vibrant at night. A bustling crowd moved about, laughter and chatter filling the air, the aroma of various snacks creating a lively and vibrant scene. Lao Shan walked at a leisurely pace, his gaze casually sweeping over the surroundings, enjoying this moment of peace and tranquility.

Lao Shan no longer lives in that dilapidated bungalow. For convenience, he rents a small one-bedroom apartment not far from Chen Yang's house. His new home is only two bus stops away from Chen Yang's, and across the street is where Zhenfeng and Scarface live. For Lao Shan, two bus stops is nothing; he prefers to walk, strolling leisurely home, enjoying the scenery along the way and relaxing.

As he walked, a strange feeling suddenly rose in Lao Shan's heart. He keenly sensed that it was as if a pair of eyes were watching him from the shadows. A nameless unease welled up in his heart, and Lao Shan stopped alertly, turning around to look behind him. The street was still bustling with traffic and people, and he didn't find anything suspicious. The streetlights illuminated the street brightly, and everyone's face was clearly visible, but the unease in Lao Shan's heart lingered.

He hesitated for a moment, then continued walking forward. However, the feeling of being watched grew stronger, as if a venomous snake was quietly coiling around his heart, sending chills down his spine. Forcing himself to calm down, Lao Shan quickly walked to a street corner and slipped into a narrow alley.

This alley was actually a narrow passage formed behind a row of low bungalows, dark and secluded. Lao Shan crouched down and, using the dim light, quickly arrived at the windowsill of a house. He lightly touched the windowsill with his toes, and his body, as nimble as a cat, leaped onto the roof, disappearing behind the chimney in a few bounds.

Not long after, two figures slipped into the alley one after the other. By the dim light of the streetlamp, Lao Shan could make out their appearance: both were young men in their early twenties, short and thin, with the same buzz cut, and their eyes revealed a fierce look.

The two stopped at the entrance of the alley, furtively looking around as if to confirm whether they were being followed. After exchanging a few words in hushed tones, they split up, one on the left and one on the right, and walked deeper into the alley.

Lau Shan hid behind the chimney, a cold smile playing on his lips. These two nobodys thought they could follow him? They're practically asking for trouble!

Lausan decided to follow one of the men first. He waited for the right moment, lightly tapped his feet on the roof tiles, and silently leaped off the roof. He landed almost without a sound, and like a night owl, he clung to the wall, following behind the man.

The alley was deep, with high brick walls on both sides, and the further in you went, the darker it became. The person in front was walking quickly, seemingly in a hurry to meet up with their companion. Lao Shan followed at a leisurely pace, always maintaining a distance. When they reached the depths of the alley, and it seemed they were just a few steps away from leaving, Lao Shan felt it was time to make his move.

Just as they were about to reach the exit, Lau Shan casually let out a loud whistle, breaking the silence of the night. The short man visibly froze for a moment, then turned around abruptly, looking warily behind him.

Under the dim streetlights, Lausan watched him with a half-smile, a hint of amusement in his eyes. The short man remained silent, clenching his fists in a defensive stance, and approached step by step. Lausan, equally unyielding, walked towards him, the distance between them closing, the air thick with tension, as if a conflict was about to erupt.

Just as the two brushed past each other, the shorter man suddenly sprang up, pulled a gleaming short knife from his sleeve, and slashed at Lau's neck with lightning speed.

Lausan was prepared. He ducked slightly, the blade almost grazing the back of the man's head. He nimbly twisted his body and kicked at the smaller man's wrist, trying to knock the knife out of his hand. The smaller man reacted quickly, dodging to the side, but before he could regain his footing, Lausan's second kick was already upon him.

The kick was swift and vicious, striking the shorter man squarely in the neck, sending him flying and crashing heavily into a pile of debris by the roadside. Just as Lau was about to finish him off, the shorter man struggled to his feet and threw the dagger at him. Lau dodged to the side, the knife grazing his chest, and Lau caught it in mid-air.

Just then, another whooshing sound came from behind Lausan, and another short knife flew out of the darkness, aimed straight for his back. Lausan blocked with his knife, and with a clang, the two knives collided, sparks flying.

He looked closely and saw that it was the person he had separated from earlier who had come over. A whistle rang out, and the two of them ran off in different directions out of the alley.

"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Lausan sneered, flicking his wrist to send the short knife flying. A scream rang out as the small man was stabbed in the leg and collapsed to the ground. Lausan didn't give chase; instead, he bent down to pick up the knife and examined it closely.

The blade was forged from high-quality steel, gleaming coldly, and a strange symbol was engraved on the hilt. Lao Shan gasped; the shape and craftsmanship of this knife were clearly… Japanese stuff!

Lao Shan frowned as he looked at the short knife in his hand. He initially thought that Uncle Yan was going to find someone to deal with him, but he didn't expect it to be the Japanese. Didn't all the Japanese in Jiangcheng leave?